Can Texas Wine Hack It Against Global Competition?
Llano Estacado Entered Its Wine In The 2022 Global Syrah Masters And Just Won Two Silver Medals On Its First Attempt
by Andrew Chalk
The Global Wine Masters is a unique wine competition in that it pits wines of the same variety from across the world, and judges them blind through the palates of Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, and Senior Buyers. Anyone can enter, and this year Llano Estacado Winery, based in Lubbock, Texas entered their 2018 Texas Syrah and their 2019 Texas Syrah ‘La Violette’. Each of them won a silver medal in their category.
After the competition, one judge on the panel, Patricia Stefanowicz MW, even said she personally awarded La Violette a gold score. She sent her notes on a sample:
“2019 Syrah La Violette: Deep cherry hue with brambles, blueberry and bilberry fruit and cigar-box wood adding a lifted accent. Dense tannins and lovely fresh acidity supporting the flavours. The hint of green olive adds an intriguing note and the sappy finish is delightful. Nicely balanced and textured. Excellent now, but will develop a bit over the next few years. (from me: Gold-93)”
Although British, she had worked in Houston several years earlier, and wrote a note to the winery in her recollected Texan “The wines show that y'all do belong on the International Wine Stage.”
Someone once said that the clapping of educated hands was so much more compelling. Well, a sample of the highest qualified people in the wine world have just endorsed two Texas wines, so Llano Estacado, and the Texas wine industry, should feel a lot of pride in this result.
The Global Wine Masters Series takes place annually. Texas wineries can enter here.
